Seal



March 1925. 1,529,682

H. v. ATWELL SEAL " Filed May 24. 1924 I I 3 m THY/67%?? B L/@7070! 3 777 5625,

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,529,682 PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD V. ATWELL, OF WRITING, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T STANDARD OIL 1,

OF WHITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OFINIDIANA: v i I SEAL.

Application filed May 24, 1924. Serial No. 715,765.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD V. ATWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVhiting, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in seals or vent valves, more particularly as applied to the vent pipes from storage tanks containing gasoline or other similar volatile liquids. It will be fully understood in the following description, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a valve embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view therethrough, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the valve of Fi 1'.

fie ferring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates an upturned end of a vent pipe, which is brought down, ordinarily from a considerable elevation, for example, the vapor space of a gasoline storage tank. T0 the vent pipe 5 is connected a short vertical pipe section, which projects into a pan or receptacle 7 containing liquid. The pipe section 6 projects slightly above the liquid level in the pan 7.

Suitably pivoted in the pan 7, for example, on a rod 8 journalled in its sides is an inverted cup 9, suitably of elongated rectangular section. The rod 8 passes throu h substantially the center of gravity of t e cup 9, which is so constructed that it is substantially balanced when the portion on one side of the pivot rod 8 is lon er than the other. This may be accomplis ed, .for example, by means of a suitable weight 10 secured to the short side of the cup. Thus, as shown in the drawings, the portion of the on on the right of the pivot rod 8 is somew at longer than the portion on the left. As a result of the unsymmetrical mounting of the inverted cup 9, the center of pressure, which is above the pipe 6, is at one side of the pivot mounting. As a result of this construction, when the pressure within the vent pipe 5 exceeds a predetermined amount, one side of the inverted cup 9 (in the form shown, the rightside) is caused to rise, the other side being forced deeper into the liquid, until the side being raised emerges above the liquid level and permits inverted cup is drawn downwardly, the

other, side emerging from the liquid and permitting ingress of air. I

The relative amounts of difference in pressure required to operate the seal are controlled by floats 11 and 12, on the ends thereof. These floats determine the relative force required to immerse the respective ends of the seal in the liquid. For example, in the form shown, a smaller float is employed on the right side than the float 12 on the left side. "With this form of construction, a less difi'erencein pressure will be required to force the right end to immerse (on reduced pressure within the vent) than that required to cause the left end to immerse (on high pressure in the vent pipe Suitable means may be provided, if desired, for damping any rocking movement of the inverted cup member in its operation.

For example, perforated partition members 13 may be provided at each end of the cup,

partitioning off a portion of the ends of the cup, and providing enclosed spaces 14. As

either end of the cup is immersed, water passes through the perforation in the corresponding partition member 13 into the space 14. On the rise of the immersed end of the cup, more or less of the sealing liquid is retained in the space 14; flowing out slowly through the perforations in the artition. Any tendency of the cup to roc is thereby materially damped.

Although my invention has been shown in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it isrnot intended that the specific details of this embodiment shall be regarded as limiting the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A. seal comprising an open conduit member communicating with a vapor space, a pan surroundingsaid conduit member and adapted to contain a liquid, an inverted cup over said conduit member and having its sides immersed in the liquid in the an, said cup having its center of pressure 0 set from its center of gravit and means for pivotally supporting sai cup at substantially its center of gravity.

2. A seal comprising an open conduit member communicatin' 'with a vapor space, a an surrounding sai conduit member and a apted tocontain a liquid,an inverted cup over said conduit member and having its sides imm'ersedin the-liquid in theipan, said cup having itscenter of pressure 0 set from center of avity, means for pivotally supporting sai cup at substantially .its center, of ravity, and means for determining the di erences in pressure required to fur,- ther immerse its respective ends. V

,3. A seal comprlsing an open conduit member communicatin with avapor space, a pan surrounding sai conduit member and adapted to contain a liquid, an inverted cup 1 over said conduit member and having its sides in the liquid in-the pan, said cup having its center of pressure offset from its center of gravity, means; for pivotally supporting said cup at substantially its center of avity, and floats secured to the ends of sai cup, a

4. A seal comprising an open conduit member vcommunicatingwith a vapor space, a an surrounding sai conduit member and a apted to contain a liquid,an inverted cup over said conduit member and having its center of pressure ofl'sctfrom its center of gravity, means for pivotally supporting said cu atsubstantially its center of gravity, an Ineansfor damping rocking move ment of the cup. J:

HAROLD v. ATWELL. 

